The Philadelphia Eagles were shocked by the Washington Redskins, losing by a final score of 27-24 to kick off the week 16 NFL schedule and shake up the playoff picture.
This game seemed like a walkover to everybody involved. In assessing the NFC playoff picture, most people chalked this up as a win for the Eagles. In fantasy football playoffs everywhere, teams built their championship hopes around the Eagles and their match-up with the Redskins. And yet, in a style befitting this crazy NFL season, the 3-11 Redskins shocked the world and defeated the Eagles by a final score of 27-24.
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Washington’s success in this game started with the fact that they finally remembered that they have Alfred Morris at running back. Getting their stud going in the running game could have been the recipe for success on a number of occasions this season, and they finally took advantage in this game to jump on top of the Eagles.
Morris ended up with 83 yards and this touchdown on 21 carries. One wonders what he could have done with even more work, but it was nevertheless an impressive and important effort from the third-year running back.
Not to be outdone, however, was LeSean McCoy and the Philadelphia running game. Eagles’ quarterback Mark Sanchez has struggled in recent weeks, and what better way to take some heat off him than to get McCoy rolling.
In total, the man known as ‘Shady’ posted 116 total yards and a touchdown. It was the game the Eagles needed him to have in a game that they needed to win.
Not to be overlooked is the effort of Mark Sanchez and the Philadelphia passing game. For the first time in recent memory, Sanchez played a relatively clean game: he threw for 374 yards, two touchdowns, and just one interception. His favorite target was tight end Zach Ertz, who hauled in an incredible 15 catches for 115 yards.
Considering how bad Washington’s defense has been, if you had told Eagles’ fans that Sanchez would play this well, they probably would have assumed victory. There was just one problem, however: Mark Sanchez did a Mark Sanchez thing in the final minute of the game, throwing a crippling interception to set up the winning score for Washington.
Even with this being a division game on the road, the Eagles simply could not afford to stub their toe in this game. Not with the Dallas Cowboys playing the Indianapolis Colts this week, and not with Robert Griffin III the actual quarterback for the opposing team. Even with RGIII playing fairly well (220 yards passing and just one pick), this was a golden opportunity for the Eagles and they blew it.
Could it be that playing Mark Sanchez at quarterback finally caught up with the Eagles? That just might be the case, because there might not be a more symbolic loss than one that comes at the hands of an embattled Robert Griffin III and the pathetic Redskins. Even with Sanchez playing well for most of the game, the stink of that last interception will certainly linger in Philadelphia.
As for the Redskins, this is a nice win in an otherwise lost season, one that might just earn them a ‘Thank You’ card from the rival Dallas Cowboys.
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